Category Archives: Science
The Place to Pair (and pair and pair) with a Bee?
Maybe I should have written this blog in Latin. When I was a kid, I saw a bee biology book where the author switched to Latin when he got to the part about how queens and drones get together to make … Continue reading
Posted in Bee Biology, History, Queens, Science
Tagged Cornell University, drones, eb white, Lawrence Connor, Norman Gary, queen breeding, Wicwas Press
7 Comments
One more thing about Chinese honey. . .
Occasionally, we take honey from the hive too early. It’s bad honey – some beekeepers call it “green”. High in moisture, and maybe not fully enzymatically converted by the bees. Nectar is ‘wet’ – sometimes 90% water and just 10% … Continue reading
Posted in Beekeeping, Hive Products, Honey, Science
Tagged adulteration, China, extracting, processing honey, wet honey
14 Comments
Bees That Watch Bees
Picture this. A bee with her tiny face pressed against a window, spying on other bees so she can see where the treasure is hidden. Sounds ridiculous to me, but it turns out to be true. The experiment In 2013, … Continue reading
Posted in Bee Biology, Science, Strange, Odd Stuff
Tagged almond pollination, bee brains, bee foraging
2 Comments
Ending the Senseless Roadside Carnage (of bugs)
Bugs impact windshields from time to time. You’ve scraped off the gooey result. A lovely dégustation if there’s ever been one. Placing a bee yard near a busy road makes you an accessory to the beeslaughter of millions. You are … Continue reading
Posted in Bee Yards, Ecology, Humour, Science, Strange, Odd Stuff
Tagged Ontario, roadkill, Vietnam
4 Comments
Drawing the Bee – Here’s an Idea for You!
Today, I’m repeating a post I made a few months ago. It’s about the importance of sketching and drawing stuff develops our observation skills. The reason I’m repeat this piece now is because tomorrow (October 26, 2016), the University of … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, or lack thereof, Science
Tagged efficiency, honey bees, Jennifer Landin, MOOC, scientific drawing, The Little Prince
2 Comments
The Man Who Made Killer Bees
Today (September 9) is the 94th birthday of Warwick Estevam Kerr, the man who made the Killer Bees. Just like his bees, Kerr comes from hot, tropical Brazil. And just like his bees, Dr Kerr has been much maligned and … Continue reading
Posted in Bee Biology, Beekeeping, Culture, or lack thereof, Genetics, People, Science
Tagged Africanized honey bees, AHB, Brazil, Melipona, Native Bees, Warwick Kerr
18 Comments
Bumble Bees and Free Will
Much is made of a human’s ability to make free choices. It’s an illusion, of course, but if people should be awarded this mysterious power, then why not bees? To bolster this notion of bees and free will, we’ll look … Continue reading
Posted in Bee Biology, Ecology, Science
Tagged bee foraging, bee scouts, Bombus terrestris, bumblebees, England
5 Comments
Whither the Sunflower?
It can feel a little creepy, sitting on a bench on the edge of a sunflower forest with your back to the sun. In that position, all the sunflowers are looking at you. If it’s morning. The marvel of the … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, or lack thereof, Honey, Honey Plants, Science
Tagged Alberta, circadian rhythm, honey, sunflower
1 Comment
Bad Beekeeping Blog 